Former Port coach Matthew Primus poised to find place with the Gold Coast Suns

MATTHEW Primus has emerged as the clear frontrunner to join the Gold Coast Suns as an assistant coach.

Primus and former Carlton coach Brett Ratten have been given until tomorrow to officially declare their interest. Should both throw their hats in the ring, former Port Adelaide coach Primus would enter the interview process as the Suns' first choice.

The decision may yet be taken out of the Suns' hands with Ratten, who received a substantial payout from Carlton, considering taking a year off to better position himself at the end of next season when a cluster of senior coaching positions will open up across the league.

Primus would join the Gold Coast as a line coach, with responsibility for developing the club's band of inexperienced bigmen.

The development of gun young midfielders Harley Bennell, David Swallow and Dion Prestia is well ahead of their ruckmen and key forwards.

It is accepted that bigmen take longer to mature but for the Suns to make the inroads expected next season, the likes of Zac Smith and Sam Day must step up.

Both are talented athletes but need vast improvement on their body work in contests and neither has displayed acceptable levels of aggression.

Charlie Dixon would also benefit from Primus' experience as a ruckman.

Dixon is a born competitor and his willingness to set the tone for aggression is reminiscent of a young Jonathan Brown. But he remains more of a bash-and-crash ruckman when he plays on the ball and needs to develop more expertise in the technical side.

The Suns were impressed by Ratten's football knowledge and would have no hesitation in signing him if Primus ruled himself out of contention.

The withdrawal of Ratten and Rodney Eade from the shortlist to take over as Port Adelaide coach prompted bookmaker Sportsbet to suspend betting, believing that Hawks assistant Leon Cameron or Suns assistant Ken Hinkley had already been appointed.

Hinkley was asked to apply but told the Power he was not interested and has re-signed with the Suns for two more years.

A more likely scenario is that Eade has been offered the job. He was the preferred candidate of the six-man panel established to appoint the coach.

Port hope his decision to rule himself out was only an attempt to keep the peace at current club Collingwood. With the Pies now out of the finals, he may re-enter negotiations.